Jobs that turn into real pain

Occupations topping list of injuries

LACERATIONS, bruising and crushed tissue were the most common cause of workplace injury claims in Geelong last financial year, new data shows.

WorkSafe paid out nearly $60 million in insurance claims to Geelong workers in the 2017-18 year, while workers made more than 1000 claims for injuries sustained at work.

More than $6.7 million for claims in the Surf Coast Shire local government area were made in the same period.

A total of 1082 claims were made in Geelong City in that period and 148 claims for the Surf Coast Shire.

In 12 months Geelong health care and social assistance workers made 204 claims, construction workers made 160 claims while manufacturing workers made 132 claims.

Construction union assistant secretary Shaun Reardon said the CFMEU worked with WorkSafe and its members to reduce injuries and increase safety.

“The CFMEU’s number one priority is the safety of our members and to make sure they go home to their families at the end of the day,” Mr Reardon said.

“The construction industry is an extremely dangerous environment which is unfortunately often hindered and obstructed by an anti-worker federal government.”

Mr Reardon said the most common injury among construction workers was back injury caused by manual handling or falling.

“The CFMEU works tirelessly with WorkSafe in support of our members to create and maintain safe working environments. It is however unfortunate that sometimes the regulator seems to go missing in action,” Mr Reardon said.

Across the board Geelong workers made 320 claims for musculoskeletal injuries; lodged 211 claims for traumatic joint, ligament, muscle and tendon injuries; 86 claims for lacerations or open wounds and lodged 58 claims for contusion, bruising, crushing and traumatic soft tissue damage.

In the same period Surf Coast construction workers lodged 39 injury claims, accommodation and food services workers lodged 20 claims and health care and social assistance workers lodged 18 claims.

Geelong construction workers made 152 injury claims in the 2016-17 financial year, up from 133 the year before.

The rising number of claims were largely lodged by younger workers, prompting a call from WorkSafe for employers to improve staff education.

“The main injuries are caused by poor manual handling, which can lead to musculoskeletal injuries such as bad backs, sprains and strains,” the spokesman said.